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Russia says it will resume talks on ending Ukraine war Oct 21, 2026

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The United States and Russia say they are ready to resume three-way peace talks with Ukraine. Earlier, Russia freed Stephen Hubbard, a retired US schoolteacher, who had been held in custody since 2022. We speak to Mr Hubbard's American lawyer, Martin De Luca.

Also on the programme: the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control has urged countries to share information about Nigeria’s first confirmed case of Ebola; and we hear from one of France's leading public intellectuals, Edouard Louis, on the wider reasons behind the country's demonstrations.

(US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff arrives in Saint Petersburg Credit: Reuters)

Ukraine talks: Trump envoy meets Putin Oct 21, 2026

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The Kremlin says President Putin is ready in principle to resume three-way peace talks between the US, Ukraine and Russia in mid-November. But a Kremlin spokesperson said Ukrainian and European plans lacked substance.

Also in the programme: How Mahvash Sabet, a prisoner from Iran's Baha'i religious minority wrote her memoir in prison; why the British government is giving the green light to more production of natural gas; and how will President Trump's deportation drive play in next month's midterm elections.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Sudan: 'laboratory for drone technology' Oct 20, 2026

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After the Sudanese army is blamed for killing more than 300 civilians in two separate drone strikes, we hear how both adversaries and their backers are using the country as a 'laboratory for drone technology'.

Also on the programme: US author Michael Lewis on his latest book "Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State", about career civil servants resisting the sweeping cuts sought by the short-lived Department for Government Efficiency; and a young Palestinian writer reflects on food in Italy, where she now studies, and back home in Gaza.

(Photo: Medical workers treat injured people at Ameth Bek hospital after a drone strike on a market in the disputed Abyei region along the border between South Sudan and Sudan, 19 October 2026. Credit: Reuters/Medecins Sans Frontieres/Handout)

US denies withholding intelligence from Ukraine Oct 20, 2026

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected as "scandalous" accusations that Ukrainians are dying because the US is withholding intelligence from Kyiv.

He was speaking after President Zelensky's military technical adviser, Serhii Beskrestnov, told the BBC that the lack of reliable US warnings meant lives were being lost.

Also in the programme: how many young Israelis appear to have tilted rightwards ahead of next week's election; how an AI tool can appear to predict cancer survival chances from a single selfie; and new research unlocks a Shakespearean mystery.

(Photo shows US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai, India on 20 October 2026. Credit: Kylie Cooper/Reuters)

Kenyan doomsday cult leader murdered 190 children Oct 19, 2026

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A Kenyan court has found the doomsday cult leader Paul Mackenzie and 29 accomplices guilty of the murder of 190 children and one adult.

Also on the programme: the French government imposes overnight curfews in parts of central Paris and other major cities in a bid to end the violence and looting that has scarred France since Saturday; and as the western Canadian province of Alberta votes in a referendum on independence, we hear from one of the leaders of the separatist movement.

(Photo: Paul Mackenzie, a Kenyan cult leader accused of ordering his followers, who were members of the Good News International Church, to starve themselves to death in Shakahola forest, appears in court for his judgement at the Mombasa High Court, Kenya 19 October 2026. Credit: Reuters/Laban Walloga)

France to impose local curfews to curb riots Oct 19, 2026

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After a weekend of violent protests, the French prime minister has given some cities the power to impose curfews to try and bring order back to the streets. We hear from a French senator who is part of the Centrist Union Group.

The United Nations World Food Programme is warning that funding for its operation in Gaza has fallen by half, warning that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians will go hungry this winter. We hear from a resident in Gaza City.

Also in the programme, the Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan is hoping to travel to the planet - grab a sample - and be the first to make a return trip.

(Photo: Police clash with protesters during second day of high cost-of-living protests in Paris, France, Oct 18, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock) Mohammed Badra,

France protests: Macron addresses the nation Oct 18, 2026

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French President Emmanuel Macron has addressed the nation following days of violent protest. He claims his country feels ‘anger and shame’ and vows ‘full transparency’ over the disorder. We get the latest from a BBC journalist on the ground.

Also in the programme: A rare look at the frontline in Ukraine; the new project aiming to reduce sports clothing waste; and we head to Canada to get a preview of Alberta’s non-binding independence referendum.

(Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference of the European Council summit in Brussels, Belgium, October 2026. Credit:Olivier Mattheys. EPA/Shutterstock)

A rare glimpse of life on the frontline in Ukraine Oct 18, 2026

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A rare glimpse into life in Russian occupied Ukraine. We hear about the dire conditions in the town of Oleshky near the city of Kherson. Also in the programme: we speak to a left-wing French MP after 1,800 people were arrested in France during protests and rioting on Saturday; and the musicians who blend Celtic folk music with singing from Cameroon.

(Photo: Aerial image of ruined buildings in Oleshky, Kherson. Credit: Reuters)

Hundreds arrested at France protests Oct 17, 2026

Show notes

There's been violent disorder in Paris and other French cities during a day of mass protests over the cost of living.

Also in the programme: President Zelensky says restrictions on Starlink systems over Ukraine were a planned operation rather than a technical issue, so how is the US using Elon Musk's technology to limit Ukraine's ability to fight? And a rare pink diamond goes on display in France for the first time, 100 years after an amateur heist.

(Photo: French firefighters work to extinguish burning car amid clashes during a day of demonstrations against the cost of living and rising fuel prices in Paris. Credit: Reuters)

Ukraine condemns Trump's Russia sanctions waiver Oct 17, 2026

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Two days before they were due to take effect, US President Donald Trump has blocked several sanctions on Russia. The news comes as the rift between him and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky deepens, following Ukrainian strikes on a Russian oil refinery during the week. We speak to an official from the first Trump administration, who has publicly supported the sanctions.

Also in the programme: we explore why youth protests have been happening across Europe; and Brazil records its lowest deforestation rate in the Amazon, according to government figures.

(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels, Belgium October 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Yves Herman)